Tiana Feng

Pray to the Burger’s Priest

January 27, 2015Food, Restaurant Reviews4 Comments

A while back, we visited The Burger’s Priest for the first time. I don’t know why it was that we hadn’t gone there considering our burger love and the hype but I guess the Queen East location was too far so we went to the one on Queen West.

In case you didn’t know, Burger’s Priest has a regular menu displayed at their restaurant but they also have various secret options that are available for those who dare to venture.

Nash ordered The Tower of Babel (pictured above). Yes, all the burgers have rather biblical names. Between two grilled cheese sandwiches were two beef burgers, lettuce, tomato and the veggie burger deemed “the option”. Why on earth would you want a veggie burger AND meat patties you might ask? Well, their version of a “veggie burger” is a custom blend of cheesygoodness sandwiched between two portabello mushrooms AND deep fried. Yes that’s why. After eating this, you’d probably end up needing to pray for your survival.

I ordered the less scary Holy Smokes. It was a double cheeseburger with deep fried jalapenos. The kick and crunch were a very nice addition.

It was very unnecessary to do this, but I ordered the chilli cheese fries. Because why not? They were oozing with cheese.

If you ever need a serious splurge of calories. Burger’s Priest is definitely the place to be.

Dollarama Reviews: EasyFeet

January 26, 2015March 4, 2015Dollarama Reviews, Shopping3 Comments

I literally live right beside a Dollarama and it’s a goldmine. There are plenty of great products for decent prices. In fact, a lot of my kitchen is furnished by things from Dollarama. But it also holds treasure to some products that are quesitonable and downright weird.

When I first saw the EasyFeet on the shelves, I was very amused by the box and what it claims. Is washing your feet that hard? According to the original commercial, it sure is.

After much social media coaxing, I bought it. I wanted to know if this really did make washing my feet ay easier.

Despite people having two feet, there is only actually one EasyFeet in the box. There’s a reason for this though which I will explain later. The back of the product has a pedicure-like stone texture and the rest has tiny bristles. It definitely does not have 10,000 like the box says.

The Easyfeet is pretty big in size and could probably fit both my feet at the same time. The idea is that you adhere it to the bottom of the shower or your bathroom walls while you take a bath. There are little holes at the top for pouring soap, but they are a little counterproductive since you have to bend over to aim the soap. I mean, the whole point of this product is not bending over right?

Anyways, I have been using the EasyFeet for two days. The first day I almost slipped in the shower. When too much pressure is applied while pushing down on it, it will slip. This is probably why they don’t give you two or you’d be skating in your bathtub. It’s much safer to do one foot at a time.

The bristles are very ticklish, but gentle on the bottoms of your feet. They do look like they will wear down quickly though. My favourite part of the product is the pumice stone-like thing at the heel. It works great for peeling off dead skin on the heels.

Would I buy again? While it was at a discounted price at $3, I don’t think I would buy it again. The fact it moves around in the shower makes it a little less convenient than it should be. Plus, I don’t want to die.

Bridesmaid Dress from Donna Morgan

January 25, 2015January 25, 2015Fashion, ShoppingLeave a Comment

In October, I had the pleasure of being my best friend’s maid of honour. She lives in PEI and her other bridesmaid in New Brunswick. Since we were in difference provinces, we were assigned different colours for each of our dresses and we were allowed to pick our own style.

My colour was mint and I ended up finding a beautiful silk chiffon one at Donna Morgan. I ordered it online and it came quickly in a beautifully packaged box. One thing to be careful about in international orders (especially clothing) is any potential custom fees. Mine ended up being an additional $40 on top of what I already paid for the dress (including shipping).

I didn’t mind though because the dress was perfect. The different colours and textures of each of the girl’s dresses looked stunning together.

The Occasion Tree

January 24, 2015Art, Crafts/DIY3 Comments

My sister had surprised me with the mini Christmas tree during the holidays. It was perfect for my tiny apartment. Now that Christmas is over, I didn’t want throw it out. Nor do I have much room in the closet to store it.

Instead, I decided to deem it “The Occasion Tree”. It will now reflect various holidays, or just silly themes that I come up with. Since Valentine’s Day is approaching, I decorated it with hearts.

I can’t wait for future theme ideas. Living close to the dollar store gives me unlimited possibilities!

My First Photo Show

January 23, 2015Art, Photography1 Comment

Last night was the opening of the Wavelength Pop Up Gallery where 3 of my concertphotos are currently being displayed alongside some by my friend Aviva Cohen and Sam Kadosh.

Here are 3 photos being displayed:

The night was well attended and all the photos, posters and artwork were well received. It was exciting (and a little bit nerve racking) to see my work so publicly displayed. They will be available for viewing until February 15th at the Hunt Club in Toronto.

Hesitance and the Idea of Perfectionism

January 22, 2015January 22, 2015Art, Inspiration, Life1 Comment

I’ve always wanted to be a creative person. I always thought that it was a goal to work towards. I love buying countless notebooks, pens and art supplies to encourage myself to explore different creative avenues.

Many of those things remained untouched.

And it’s not because I am lazy, or that I didn’t have time. The reason for this artist-block (for lack of a better term) was that I was hesitant. I was waiting for the perfect idea to draw, paint or write down. I thought it would be wasteful if I used any of those supplies on an idea that wouldn’t be good enough (to show someone and/or blog about) or that I would mess up.

Now I’m realizing, it’s more wasteful that these things sit in my drawers. I won’t get better at drawing, painting, writing if I just sat staring at the things in my desk in perfect condition. I should stop fearing that I’ll “waste” these supplies, as they can always be replenished. What can’t be replaced is the time I spent thinking this way.

Just as I am challenging myself to hit “Publish” more on this blog, I will get over the same hesitance when putting a pen (paint, crayon, whatever) to paper.

Commuting in Style

January 21, 2015Beauty, FashionLeave a Comment

I’ve always loved the idea of black accessories because I find them classic and timeless. Recently, I’ve been obsessed with the textured faux-leather black and gold combinations that seem to be in.

When I bought my Macbook I decided to get the slimmest stylish bag I could find to carry it in. The 13″ Marc Jacobs case was perfect. I liked that it came with a longer strap so that I could carry it like a cross-body bag. Therefore, making commutes much easier and safer.

I was in desparate need of a purse so I purchased the GUESS black carry-all in black. This also came with a cross-body strap which was perfect and enough pockets for phones, make-up and other things ladies put in purses.

Beautifully Presented Food @ The Beverley Hotel

January 20, 2015January 20, 2015Food, Restaurant Reviews1 Comment

Before the Christmas holidays, Zomato invited bloggers for a meet up at The Beverley Hotel. The place is small and has a really cozy feel. Chef Binh An and Sous Chef, Johnny D were very friendly and accommodating with people’s dietary restrictions.

Before and during dinner we were treated to a Christmas Mojito which had a festive pine garnish.

The first course was called Lovell Springs Trout. Trout was served with puff rice that added a lovely texture, cucumber, fennel, smoked grapes and pickled mustard seed. It was very fresh, light and flavourful. It was a little bit of a tease because I could’ve eaten a giant plate of this.

Next came the Confit Pheasant Leg with strawberry gastrique, green icicle radish and a pickled mushroom that I wish existed in jars I could take home. The salt of the pheasant balanced really nicely with the sweetness of the gastrique. Two courses in I was ready to keep licking the plates.

I love a good steak and man was the Wagyu Blade Steak a memorable one. It was served with charred veggies (which side note: I’m currently obsessed with making). Also on the plate was a delicate beet & truffle tortellini. Steak was enough to make me feel like I was in heaven, but everything else elevated it to a whole other world. The mashed potatos were buttery and had just the appropriate amount of horseradish. By the time I was finished, I was surprised I even had room for dessert.

But if dinner was so damn good, dessert must be just as delectable right? And it was! We were treated to a Spiced Apple Cake with dark beer caramel, granola and classic vanilla icecream. The plate was appropriately licked.

I also decided to order this post-dinner drink that wasn’t on the plan for the night. I totally can’t remember what was in it besides rye and cinnamon. I just remember the warmth trickling down my throat and it felt perfect for the holidays.

Dining at the Beverley was definitely a treat for both the eyes and the taste buds!

This meal was complimentary thanks to Zomato & The Beverley Hotel.

New Year New Sketchbooks

January 19, 2015Art, Inspiration, Shopping1 Comment

I want to encourage myself to do more fine art this year. I used to when I was younger and as I grew up my main excuse was that I had no time. I’m starting to realize that, that’s not a reasonable excuse. There’s always time to pursue the things you love, you just have to decide to actually do them.

I decided the best way to start drawing and painting more again was to buy myself some blank canvases, or new sketchbooks! That way I wouldn’t be self-consciously comparing myself to things I used to be able to do. I headed to Michael’s and bought myself two different ones: one for dry media, and one for mixed.

For mixed media, I purchased the Strathmore Mixed Media Art Journal. The 64 page softcover journal has acid free paper that is 100% cotton. It’s perfect for all sorts of media including watercolours. The cover also has this sleek smooth texture which I am in love with.

I also wanted a sketchbook for general doodling and dry materials. I chose the Artist’s Loft Fashion Journal in orange. At $20, it was well worth it for 110 pages. I also liked that it was a bright orange colour to separate it from the other book and give it a pop of colour when travelling with it. Since I moved to the city, I plan to take it around and find inspiration outside my house.

I love both these books and I hope to fill them with things this year and share them with all of you.

Looking Forward Not Back

January 18, 2015Family, Inspiration, Life1 Comment

By the end of last year, I accomplished many personal goals. I got a new job, I took a trip to the East Coast, bought a new laptop, and finally moved out and got my own place in downtown Toronto.

I’m determined to keep the momentum going and remain optimistic about the future. However, there are always emotion hurdles to face. I’m technically on contract for my job and my parent’s still say things to me like “Don’t buy a couch in case you have to move back home”.

So I bought a couch. Failure is not an option for me. Neither is looking back and moving back home (at least to me) would be seen as moving backwards. I will work my hardest to either have extended employment or create a new opportunities elsewhere. Though well meaning, I will not let less than positive thoughts affect me. In the wise words of Yoda: “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”